QSM Export Results - WordPress Plugin

Guide to Setting Up and Using QSM Export Results

QSM Export Results is not for building the quiz itself. It is for the next step after responses have been collected: exporting results from Quiz and Survey Master, sharing them with colleagues, processing them in a spreadsheet, and giving each participant a clean PDF of their outcome. This guide does not focus on the plugin's general benefits. Instead, it walks through the actual workflow: what to check before installation, where to find the settings, which fields to include in a CSV, how to add a PDF button to the results page and email, how to validate the file, and what to do if the export does not look right.

This article is written for a WordPress site administrator, instructor, curriculum designer, HR specialist, marketer, or developer who is already using QSM for quizzes, exams, surveys, or feedback forms. If your site does not yet have a published quiz and saved attempts, start by setting up the basic form in Quiz and Survey Master, because Export Results works with results that have already been collected.

We will also cover details that short tutorials often skip: the difference between global export and exporting a single quiz, when to choose a single-row format versus separate rows, why Excel may display Russian and other characters incorrectly, how to avoid exporting unnecessary personal data, and how to safely add temporary support for .ttf fonts in PDFs on a site where WordPress does not accept those files by default.

What Problem Result Export Solves in QSM

In a standard QSM workflow, a participant's result is visible in the admin panel and can also be shown on the results page or sent by email. That is enough for a simple quiz where the only goal is to display a message immediately after completion. But as soon as those results need to be analyzed, shared with a supervisor, added to a gradebook, or stored as proof of completion, the admin panel becomes inconvenient. QSM Export Results adds two practical output channels: CSV for the administrator and PDF for the participant.

CSV is useful when the data needs to be processed outside WordPress. For example, an instructor may want to combine responses from several groups into one spreadsheet, an HR team may need to compare candidate results, or a research team may want to filter responses for a specific date range. The plugin lets you choose the exact export fields, the date range, one or more quizzes, and how questions should be laid out in the file. That matters more than simply having a download button, because a broad export quickly turns into an awkward spreadsheet full of unnecessary columns.

PDF serves a different purpose. The participant gets a copy of their result directly on the results page or by email if the template includes the %PDF_BUTTON% variable. This is especially useful in training and certification scenarios: the user can save the result, send it to a supervisor, or come back to it later. At the same time, the PDF should be treated as a participant-facing result document, not a full reporting system. For deeper analysis, CSV or dedicated analytics add-ons are the better choice.

Where Export Is Especially Useful

The most natural use cases involve quizzes and surveys where not only the score matters, but also the structure of the response. In an educational quiz, the administrator may export the participant's name, email, number of correct answers, final score, and answers to each question. In an event feedback survey, contact fields, comments, selected options, and submission date are usually more important. In an HR assessment, question category, completion time, and section-based results can be valuable if the quiz is divided into meaningful blocks.

• Educational quizzes - exporting a grade sheet, tracking progress, and preparing a report for the instructor.
• Internal employee training - comparing results before and after a course and identifying topics where the team often makes mistakes.
• Marketing surveys - moving responses into a spreadsheet for segmentation and manual review.
• Recruiting - exporting results from a test assignment or initial candidate screening.
• Events and webinars - saving participant feedback and ratings for a selected period.

Quick takeaway: QSM Export Results is best viewed as a bridge between QSM and external data processing. It does not replace analytics, a CRM, or a BI system, but it helps you move results out of WordPress into a format that is easier to work with.

Who This Plugin Fits, and When Another Approach Is Better

This plugin works well for sites that already run quizzes or surveys in Quiz and Survey Master and need to export results on a regular basis. If you collect dozens or hundreds of attempts, opening each entry manually becomes impractical. Exporting by date and selecting specific fields lets you quickly generate a spreadsheet for a specific purpose: scores only, contacts only, question-level answers, comments, or technical fields such as completion time.

It is especially helpful for teams working with groups of participants. An instructor needs a grade sheet, an HR specialist needs a candidate list, a researcher needs a response table, and a curriculum designer needs data grouped by question category. In those scenarios, QSM Export Results saves time because you can shape the output before exporting instead of cleaning it up after download.

When It Is a Good Fit

• Your site already uses QSM, and moving to another form builder is not desirable.
• You need to export results for a date range, a single quiz, multiple quizzes, or all active quizzes.
• You need to choose CSV fields instead of receiving a fixed file.
• Participants need a PDF download button on the results page or inside an email template.
• The data will be processed further in Excel, Google Sheets, or another spreadsheet tool.

When Another Solution May Be More Practical

If you are not yet committed to QSM and you are building general-purpose application forms rather than quizzes, a form builder with its own entries system and export tools may be more convenient. If you need visual analytics inside WordPress, it makes more sense to look at Reporting and Analysis in the QSM ecosystem or a dedicated reporting tool. If your goal is to sync every new attempt to an external spreadsheet almost immediately after submission, manual CSV export may be too slow, and integration with Google Sheets or an automation workflow may be the better option.

There is also an organizational limitation: CSV can contain personal data. If you export email addresses, names, IP addresses, answers, and comments, you should know in advance who will receive the file and where it will be stored. Do not include fields "just in case." The narrower the export, the lower the risk of accidentally sharing information that is not needed.

What to Check Before Installing It on a WordPress Site

Before installation, make sure the core Quiz and Survey Master plugin is already working and your quizzes are saving results. Export Results does not create a separate attempts database and does not fix a quiz that is not recording responses. If persistent result storage is disabled in QSM or the quiz is still in draft status, the export will be empty or incomplete even if the add-on is installed correctly.

Basic QSM Check

Start with a test attempt. Open a published quiz as a regular user, complete it, and make sure the final result appears in the QSM admin area. In the quiz settings, review the sections that affect the future export file: form type, scoring system, contact fields, login requirement, comments, timer, question categories, and whether results are stored in the database.

For exported data, the most important fields are the ones that create useful columns. If you want to see the participant's name and email, they must either enter that information in the contact form or be logged in as a registered user. If you need category-based export, the questions must already be assigned to categories. If you want to analyze completion time, the quiz must have a meaningful timed workflow or at least record the time taken.

Permissions, Updates, and Security

Work from an administrator account or a role that is trusted to manage QSM and export data. Update QSM core and the add-on itself to the latest available versions through the standard WordPress update flow, and review the developer's changelog page. Recent Export Results changelog entries include fixes related to CSV filter security, PDF templates, script loading, and PDF handling. So on a site with real user data, it is not a good idea to postpone updates just because the export "already works."

Before enabling it on a production site, create a backup and test the export on a sample data set. For large quizzes with long answers, comments, and many questions, the CSV can become wide and heavy. If the site is running on limited hosting, export a short date range first and only expand the period afterward.

Privacy and Field Minimization

Export Results can include contact data, user ID, username, email, IP address, page URL, answers, comments, and scores. That is useful, but it is also where administrators most often make mistakes. For an educational grade sheet, name, email, quiz name, final score, and date are usually enough. A research workflow may require answers to each question, but not always the IP address. When sharing data with colleagues, an anonymized spreadsheet without contact information may be sufficient.

Practical rule: before every export, ask yourself: "Which column is actually needed for this task?" If the answer is not obvious, leave that field out.

Installation and the First Add-On Check

QSM Export Results is installed like a standard WordPress plugin, but it is managed in the context of QSM add-ons. The developer documentation describes two paths: using the QSM Addon Installer or uploading the ZIP file manually. This article does not cover purchasing or obtaining a license. It assumes you already have a legitimately acquired add-on archive or access to installation through your QSM account.

Installing Through Addon Installer

If QSM Addon Installer is already installed on the site, open QSM in the WordPress admin area, go to Extensions, and then open the add-on installer section. In the list of available add-ons, find Export Results and enable it using the built-in toggle. After installation, check the installed add-ons tab. You should see the add-on settings and access to license management.

This path is convenient when the site uses several QSM add-ons, because they are easier to update and manage in one place. If the install button is unavailable, do not try to bypass the mechanism manually. Check whether your plan or individual license includes the add-on, and if needed, use manual ZIP installation if that option is available under your access level.

Manual ZIP Installation

For manual installation, open Plugins - Add New - Upload Plugin, select the ZIP archive, and click Install Now. After installation, activate the plugin with Activate Plugin. Then return to the QSM menu and verify that the add-on appears under Extensions - Addons - Installed. That is the most convenient place to look for the Settings button and the Manage License tab if it is required for updates and support.

Do not consider the installation complete the moment the plugin is activated. Run a minimal test: open the QSM results page, confirm that the export tab is now available, select one quiz, choose either a short date range or all dates, enable 3 to 5 safe fields, and run the export. If you see the link Download your export file now!, the basic setup is working.

What to Do After First Activation

1. Open the installed plugins list and confirm that both QSM core and Export Results are active.
2. Make sure QSM contains at least one published quiz with a saved test attempt.
3. Open the global export screen from the QSM results page and check whether the CSV fields are available.
4. Open a specific quiz and verify the path Add-ons - Export Results for quiz-specific export.
5. Download a small CSV and open it in a spreadsheet app without changing the original settings first.

Configuring CSV: Fields, Dates, Quizzes, and Row Type

The CSV side is the administrator's main tool. The goal is not to click "export everything," but to build a file for a specific task. QSM Export Results gives you choices across several dimensions: which quizzes to include, what date range to use, which fields should go into the file, and whether questions with answers should be represented in a single row or separate rows. Those decisions determine whether the spreadsheet will be easy to analyze or turn into a wide, hard-to-read export.

Global Export vs. Exporting a Single Quiz

Global export is opened through the QSM results page in the admin area. It is useful when you need to export one quiz, several quizzes, or all active quizzes for a given period. In that mode, quiz selection is available. Quiz-specific export is located inside an individual quiz: open the relevant quiz or survey, then go to Add-ons - Export Results. That path is convenient when you are working with only one quiz and do not want to accidentally pull in someone else's results.

For routine work, use a simple rule. If the report is built around a training course or a single exam, use the export for that specific quiz. If you need to compare several similar surveys, use global export with an explicit selection of the relevant quizzes. If you are unsure, start with one quiz and a short date range so you can validate the file structure first.

Which Fields to Include in CSV

Export Results offers fields for completion time, contact information, user ID, logged-in username and email, quiz name, question text, user answers, question comments, answer correctness, question-level points, categories, total correct answers, total number of questions, final result, comment section, timer, IP address, correct answers, page URL, category score, and category points. The list is extensive, so the best approach is to select fields based on the goal of the report.

For multilingual or non-English sites, pay close attention to contact fields and text responses. If the spreadsheet will later be opened in Excel, agree in advance on how participants should enter full name, email, and comments. Otherwise, part of the work will happen not in QSM, but in cleanup after the download.

Date Range

The date filter is not just about convenience. It also affects performance. A large quiz with several thousand attempts, long questions, and detailed responses can produce a heavy CSV file. If you only need to export one training group for a single week, do not leave the period open-ended. If you need a full archive, export it in parts: by month, by quarter, or another reasonable interval that matches your workload.

After choosing the range, check the boundary records: the first and last rows should fall within the period you expect. If fewer results appear than expected, verify the site time zone, the quiz publish date, the result storage mode, and whether the quiz was recreated under a different ID.

Single Row or Separate Row

One of the most important settings is Select Export Type. With Single Row, each participant attempt is stored in one row, and questions with answers are distributed across separate columns. This is convenient for grade sheets where one row equals one person or one attempt. But with many questions, the spreadsheet becomes very wide.

With Separate Row, questions are placed on individual rows, with answers shown next to the corresponding fields. This is more convenient for detailed question analysis, identifying weak topic areas, and building pivot tables that group answers by question. It may feel less familiar for a simple participant list, but it is often better for analytical work.

Result check: after the first export, open the file, find one test attempt, and follow the chain: participant - date - quiz - question - answer - score - final result. If that chain is hard to read, adjust the field set or row type before sharing the file with colleagues.

PDF for the Participant: Results Button, Email, and Layout

The PDF side of Export Results is useful when the user should be able to take a copy of their result after completing a quiz. That may be a training summary, proof of completion, a survey report, a personalized recommendation, or an interim document for a supervisor. Unlike CSV, PDF is designed for the participant rather than the administrator. That is why not only the data matters here, but also the presentation: the heading, logo, text, page size, and a clear download button.

Where PDF Downloads Is Enabled

Open the relevant quiz in QSM, then go to Addons - Export Results - PDF Downloads. This is where you configure the document the participant will download. The developer documentation lists settings for page type, logo, button text, quiz name visibility, PDF content, and custom styles. Do not turn everything on at once. Start with a simple PDF, download it after a test attempt, and only then add the logo, styles, and additional variables.

The choice of page type depends on how much content the result contains. If the PDF only includes a short summary, a compact format is usually enough. If you are outputting questions, answers, correct answers, comments, and charts, choose a format with enough height so the document does not look broken. Do not name a single size in the article as the universally best option: in different scenarios, the document may be short or highly detailed.

The %PDF_BUTTON% Variable on the Results Page

To show the participant a download button, add %PDF_BUTTON% to the QSM result template. This is done in the Results tab of the relevant quiz. It is better to place the button after the short result summary rather than before it. The person should first understand their result and then download the document. If you use multiple conditional result pages, make sure the variable has been added to the correct templates, not just the default page.

The testing workflow is straightforward: take the quiz as a regular user, view the final results page, click the download button, open the PDF, and verify that it contains the required text, score, participant data, and correct formatting. If the button does not appear, check that the quiz is published, the result is actually being shown, the add-on is active, and the variable is inserted exactly as %PDF_BUTTON% with no extra spaces or changed characters.

PDF in the Participant Email

If the participant receives an email after completing the quiz, the PDF button can also be added to the email template. To do that, open the quiz Emails tab and insert %PDF_BUTTON% into the body of the relevant email. This is useful when someone may close the results page but still needs the document later in their inbox. Before going live, test QSM email delivery separately: if standard WordPress emails are not being sent from the site, adding a PDF button to the email will not fix that.

For email, it is best to include a short line near the button explaining what the document is and why the recipient may want to download it. Do not overload the email with every question and answer if the PDF already contains the details. And conversely, if the PDF is brief, the email can carry the main metrics while the PDF serves as the saved copy.

Fonts for PDF in Russian and Other Languages

The Export Results documentation specifically covers the case where the PDF is needed in a language other than English. To display characters correctly, you may need to upload a .ttf font file to the WordPress media library and reference its URL in the Custom Style field. This is especially important for Cyrillic, accented characters, and other writing systems where the default PDF font may not support the required glyphs.

If WordPress does not accept .ttf, the developer provides a temporary snippet that allows administrators to upload those files. Use it only while uploading the font, preferably through a child theme or the Code Snippets plugin, and disable it once the upload has been verified. Do not add this code to WordPress core or to the plugin's own files.

// Temporarily allow .ttf uploads for administrators
add_filter('upload_mimes', function($mimes) {
    if (current_user_can('manage_options')) {
        $mimes['ttf'] = 'font/ttf';
    }
    return $mimes;
});

add_filter('wp_check_filetype_and_ext', 'qsm_allow_ttf_mime_check', 10, 4);
function qsm_allow_ttf_mime_check($data, $file, $filename, $mimes) {
    $ext = pathinfo($filename, PATHINFO_EXTENSION);
    if ('ttf' === strtolower($ext)) {
        $data['ext'] = 'ttf';
        $data['type'] = 'font/ttf';
    }
    return $data;
}

The validation flow after using the snippet is simple: upload the font to the Media Library, copy the file URL, paste it into the PDF style field as described by the add-on instructions, save the settings, download a test PDF, and make sure the Cyrillic text renders normally instead of showing boxes or replacement characters. Then disable the snippet if it is no longer needed. Rolling it back is easy: remove or deactivate the code snippet and verify again that the uploaded file is still accessible.

Template Variables: How to Build a Clear Result Before PDF and CSV

Export Results only becomes truly useful when the quiz in QSM is already collecting and displaying data in a clean way. QSM uses template variables for this - special percent-based markers that are replaced with values from a specific attempt: score, username, email, result link, answers, completion time, and other data. This matters to the administrator for two reasons. First, the PDF is often built around the same set of variables the participant sees on the results page. Second, those variables help you understand in advance which data actually needs to be included in the CSV.

For example, if the results page uses %POINT_SCORE%, %MAXIMUM_POINTS%, and %AMOUNT_CORRECT%, the CSV will almost certainly need the final score, total number of questions, and number of correct answers. If the result is built around categories, it is worth checking category fields and category scores in advance. If the participant email includes %RESULT_LINK%, the PDF can serve as a saved copy of the results page instead of duplicating the entire long breakdown inside the email.

The "Results Page - PDF - CSV" Connection

A good setup starts with one coherent data model. Imagine you have a certification quiz. The participant needs to know whether they passed the threshold, how many points they scored, and what to do next. The administrator needs a spreadsheet showing who took it, when, with what result, and which questions caused mistakes. The PDF is the participant's personal record. These three surfaces should support each other rather than conflict.

For the results page, use concise text and variables the participant can understand without a spreadsheet: their name, the quiz title, final score, number of correct answers, and the overall conclusion. For the PDF, include that same summary but format it like a document: logo, title, attempt date, a short comment, and the download button. For the CSV, include the technically useful fields: date, contact, quiz name, score, answers, right/wrong status, category, and timer. That way, one attempt turns into three different but aligned outputs.

How Not to Break the Template with Variables

QSM variables are sensitive to exact spelling. Inside the HTML editor, do not change the percent signs, do not insert spaces inside the variable, and do not place variables in areas where they are not supported. If the documentation says a variable works on the results page or in email, do not automatically assume it will behave the same way in PDF. Test each output surface with a sample attempt.

For category variables, the exact category name matters in particular. QSM documentation notes that some variables should not use underscores in place of spaces inside the category name. So if the category is called Product Knowledge, do not rename it inside the variable by guesswork. If the result does not render, first verify the exact category name and where the variable is being used.

Practical validation: create one test attempt where the participant misses a known question, receives a predictable score, and enters an easily recognizable email address. Then confirm that the same data can be read correctly on the results page, in the PDF, in the email, and in the CSV.

Export Scenarios by Role: Instructor, HR, Marketer, and Administrator

The same export tab will be used differently depending on the role. If you do not separate those use cases up front, the team will start arguing about the "correct" CSV even though they actually need different files. An instructor needs a grade sheet, HR needs a candidate comparison, a marketer needs response segments, and an administrator needs technical visibility into how the quiz is working. QSM Export Results can produce all of those files, but not as one perfect universal template.

Instructor and Grade Sheet

For an instructor, the main goal is to quickly see who completed the quiz, what result they received, and where the group most often makes mistakes. That is why the base export should be narrow: name or email, date, quiz title, final score, correct answers, and total number of questions. If error analysis is needed, create a second export that includes questions, answers, and the right/wrong column. Do not combine the grade sheet and error analysis into one file if the instructor needs to share the grade sheet with others.

In an educational scenario, the PDF should also stay concise. It should confirm the result, not expose the entire internal quiz logic. If correct answers should not be shown to the participant, do not include them in the results page, PDF, or email. Use CSV for internal analysis only on the administrator or instructor side.

HR and Candidate Evaluation

In an HR workflow, consistency and privacy are critical. The CSV should make it easy to compare candidates across the same fields: date, name, email, quiz, final score, and possibly categories and completion time. Full question-by-question responses are not always necessary. If the quiz contains open-ended answers, comments, or sensitive data, export those in a separate file with restricted access.

A PDF for the candidate can be useful as proof of completion, but it should not automatically reveal the internal scoring scale if that scale is meant only for the recruiter. In that case, the results page and PDF can show a neutral message, while the detailed evaluation stays in the administrative CSV export.

Marketer and Researcher

For marketing surveys, the final score is often not the main point. Responses, comments, submission date, page URL, and segments matter more. If the survey is not a quiz, do not include correct answer fields and score fields just because they are available. They will only add noise. It is usually better to export responses and contact data separately from the technical fields.

If the results will later be imported into Google Sheets, agree on the wording of the questions in advance. Long, similar question labels turn the spreadsheet into an awkward set of columns. In some cases, it is better to shorten the question inside the quiz itself or rely on categories so the CSV is easier to filter and analyze.

Administrator and Technical Control

An administrator does not need the same data as a business user. For technical review, it is useful to have result ID, timestamp, quiz name, user ID, page URL, timer, IP address when needed, and control answers. This file does not need to be shared with everyone on the project. It exists for troubleshooting: why an attempt disappeared, why a result was calculated incorrectly, why the participant landed on a different results page, or why the PDF is missing data.

Separate your working files by purpose: "grade sheet," "question review," "technical check," and "archive." That turns QSM Export Results from a one-time button into a controlled process where each CSV answers a specific question.

Practical Example: Exporting Results for a Training Quiz

Let us walk through a concrete scenario. A site has a quiz for internal employee training. The goal is to generate a grade sheet for the most recent training group, send participants a PDF with their result, and keep a separate file for error analysis. The point is not just to download a CSV, but to produce two clear outputs: a spreadsheet for the administrator and a document for the participant.

Goal and Preparation

Assume the quiz is published, employees either take it while logged in or enter contact data, and the results are being stored in QSM. Before configuring Export Results, take the quiz once as a test participant. That gives you a control record you can use to validate the CSV, the PDF, and the email. In the quiz itself, make sure database result storage is enabled and the results page shows either the final score or a clear summary message.

What Should Already Be in Place

• Active QSM core and installed Export Results.
• A published quiz, not a draft.
• At least one test attempt with participant data.
• Clear contact fields or login, if the grade sheet needs name and email.
• A prepared result message where %PDF_BUTTON% can be placed.

CSV Setup Steps

1. Open QSM - Results and go to the Export Results tab.
2. Select the relevant quiz. If you are working from inside a specific quiz, open Add-ons - Export Results.
3. Set the date range for the group. If the group took the quiz on a single day, use a narrow period and verify that the test attempt falls within it.
4. Enable Timestamp, Contact Information, User Email, Quiz Name, Final Score, Total Correct Answer Field, and Total Question Field.
5. For error analysis, also enable Question Text Fields, User's Answer Fields, Right/Wrong Fields, and Correct Answer(s).
6. Choose Single Row if you need a participant-based grade sheet, or Separate Row if you plan to analyze errors by question.
7. Run the export and download the file from the generated link.

After downloading, do not edit the original file right away. Save a copy first. Open the CSV, find the test attempt, and verify that the data matches: name, email, date, final score, number of correct answers, and question-level responses. If the file contains extra fields, go back to the settings and remove them. If something is missing, check whether that field was actually captured in the quiz itself.

PDF Setup Steps

1. Open the quiz and go to Addons - Export Results - PDF Downloads.
2. Select the page type, add a logo if needed, and enter a clear button label, such as Download result in the interface or another supported label if the add-on renders it correctly.
3. Build the PDF content: a short greeting, quiz title, final score, number of correct answers, and a note explaining that the document is a copy of the result.
4. Save the settings, then open the quiz Results tab.
5. Insert %PDF_BUTTON% into the result template after the main summary message.
6. If you also want to send the PDF by email, insert %PDF_BUTTON% into the relevant email template under Emails.

Validation and a Common Detail

Take the quiz again. A PDF download button should appear on the results page. Download the document, open it, and check the logo, Cyrillic support if relevant, scores, and whether there are large empty areas that should not be there. Then check the email, if enabled: it should arrive at the test participant's address and contain a working PDF button or link.

A common issue is the difference between what appears on the results page and what actually goes into the PDF. If you only added a short text block to the PDF, do not expect it to automatically include all elements from the results page. Configure the PDF content separately and add the required template variables. If the button appears in the email but not on the results page, check whether %PDF_BUTTON% has been inserted in both places.

How to Validate the Finished CSV Without Losing the Meaning of the Data

A downloaded file is not yet a finished report. It should be checked just as carefully as a form before publication. In CSV files, the most common issues are often not add-on bugs, but consequences of earlier decisions: contact fields were never collected, questions were not assigned to categories, the quiz was still a draft, some participants took an older version of the quiz while others took a newer one. That is why validation should move from the data source to the spreadsheet, not just from the spreadsheet to conclusions.

Control Attempt

The most reliable method is to create a control attempt with recognizable values. Enter a name like Test Export User, use a known email address, select predictable answers, and leave a short comment if comments are part of the export. After downloading the CSV, find that record. If it displays correctly, the path from form to result to export is working.

Do not only check whether the row exists. Check whether the columns make sense. In a wide Single Row export, it is easy to confuse the question with the answer if the question titles are long. In Separate Row, make sure the rows for one participant can be grouped by a shared identifier, timestamp, or another stable field.

Opening CSV in Excel and Encoding

The official QSM documentation states that the CSV is generated as UTF-8, but Excel may still display accented characters or other non-English symbols incorrectly when the file is opened directly. This is also relevant for Russian-language sites: if you see strange characters instead of normal text, do not assume the export itself is broken. Try importing the CSV through Excel's import tools, specify 65001 : Unicode (UTF-8) as the file origin, and use comma as the delimiter. In some cases, re-saving the file through a text editor with a different encoding can help, but for repeatable workflows it is better to teach the team the correct import method.

If the spreadsheet will be used in Google Sheets, upload the CSV through the import flow, verify the delimiter, and compare it against the control row. Do not change QSM settings until you have ruled out the possibility that the issue is only in the spreadsheet application's file-opening behavior.

Checking the Column Set

The set of columns should match the purpose of the report. If the file contains too much personal data, reduce the field selection and export again. If an analyst needs all question-level answers but the CSV only includes the final score, go back and enable Question Text Fields and User's Answer Fields. If you need category analysis, confirm that the questions actually have categories assigned. Otherwise, the category column may be empty or not especially useful.

A good export can be explained in one sentence: "Each row represents this type of attempt, these columns identify the participant, these columns show the answers, and these columns show the evaluation." If that explanation becomes too long, the file may contain unnecessary fields or use the wrong row format.

What Matters for Privacy, Performance, and Support

Result export is directly tied to user data. Even when a quiz seems harmless, the file may contain names, email addresses, IP addresses, comments, page URLs, answers to sensitive questions, and scored results. That means the administrator should think not only about how to download the CSV, but also about how it will be stored, shared, and deleted.

Data Minimization

Do not automatically include IP addresses, user IDs, and contact fields in every export. Those values can be useful for audit trails, participant identification, or linking data to an account, but they are not always necessary for result analysis. If the report is being sent to an outside contractor or a colleague, it is often better to generate a separate export with anonymized rows and keep the original file only with the administrator.

For education and HR workflows, agree in advance on what data may be shared. If the participant should receive a PDF, make sure it does not contain internal comments, service IDs, or correct answers that should not be disclosed.

Performance and Large Files

Export Results loads and assembles data that already exists in QSM. The more attempts, questions, and text answers there are, the heavier the file becomes. Do not run a full export for the entire period if you only need a weekly report. For large quizzes, use date ranges, limit the fields, and choose the row format that fits the task. If the export takes too long or does not download, reduce the period first rather than blindly increasing server limits.

The recent add-on changelog also notes restrictions around loading frontend scripts only on pages with QSM shortcodes. That is a good example of why updates matter not only for new features, but also for performance. Still, do not assume the add-on will solve every speed issue by itself. An overly broad CSV on weak hosting can still cause delays.

Updates and Sensitive Settings

QSM core and Export Results receive regular fixes related to security, compatibility, and result handling. That is why any site with real users should have an update process: a staging copy of the site, a backup, a check of one quiz, and verification of both CSV and PDF after the update. If the export format changes after an update, do not continue your automated processing with the old spreadsheet template until you have compared the columns.

The most sensitive settings are exporting correct answers, IP addresses, category-based results, and full text answers. They can be useful, but they are not always safe and not always necessary. Enable them only when you clearly understand who will read the file and why.

Why the Export or PDF May Not Work as Expected

Most QSM Export Results issues can be diagnosed by following the chain: are results actually being saved, was the right quiz and period selected, was the correct field set chosen, was the %PDF_BUTTON% variable inserted correctly, and is the spreadsheet application misreading the CSV encoding. The list below is not a generic list of WordPress issues. It focuses on practical symptoms specific to QSM result export.

CSV Is Empty or Has Fewer Rows Than Expected

Symptom: the export downloads, but there are no rows or some participants are missing. Possible causes include the quiz being left in draft status, results not being saved to the database, the wrong quiz being selected, a date range that is too narrow, participants taking a different quiz ID, or attempts being deleted.

Check whether the results exist in QSM before exporting. Then remove the date filter for a short test, select the specific quiz, and create a control attempt. If the control attempt appears, the issue is not the add-on. It is the period selection, quiz selection, or older data. If the attempt itself is not being saved, return to the QSM settings and verify result storage.

The CSV Does Not Include Name, Email, or Other Contact Fields

Symptom: attempts are exported, but the participant cannot be identified. A likely cause is that the quiz never collected contact data, the user was not logged in, Contact Information, User Name, or User Email was not enabled in the export, or the relevant field was added only after some of the attempts had already been completed.

Create a new test attempt with the contact form filled out and run the export again. If the new row contains the data, older attempts cannot recover information that was never collected. For future completions, configure contact fields or required login before publishing the quiz.

Russian Text or Other Characters Look Wrong in Excel

Symptom: the CSV shows unreadable symbols instead of normal text. A likely cause is that Excel opened the UTF-8 file the wrong way. This is not necessarily an Export Results problem. Import the file through Excel's text import tools, choose 65001 : Unicode (UTF-8) as the file origin, and use comma as the delimiter. After import, review the control row.

If the file displays correctly in Google Sheets or a text editor but breaks only in Excel, change the opening method rather than the export settings. If the characters are broken everywhere, create a new test attempt, inspect the source text inside QSM, and only then contact support.

The PDF Button Does Not Appear on the Results Page

Symptom: the user sees the result, but there is no PDF download button. Check that Export Results is active, PDF Downloads is configured, and the %PDF_BUTTON% variable has been inserted into the result template for the correct quiz. If the quiz uses multiple conditional result pages, the variable may have been added to only one of them.

Create attempts that trigger each conditional result, or temporarily add the button to the default template. If the button appears for one result and not another, fix the specific template rather than reinstalling the add-on.

The PDF Downloads, but Cyrillic or Styles Are Broken

Symptom: the document is generated, but characters appear as boxes, the text looks wrong, or the logo is missing. Check the font settings, logo URL, custom CSS, and page type. For non-English languages, you may need to upload a .ttf font and reference it in the PDF styles. If images or external resources are not loading, review the latest add-on changes: the developer tightened restrictions around PDF and remote resource loading for security reasons.

Fix one layer at a time: first plain text without the logo, then the font, then the logo, then charts or extra variables. That makes it much easier to identify what is actually breaking the document.

The PDF Button Appears on the Page, but the Email Does Not Include the PDF

Symptom: the results page works, but the email does not provide the PDF. Check the separate email template under the Emails tab. The variable on the results page does not automatically add the button to the email. Then verify WordPress email delivery: if standard QSM emails are not being sent, configure the site's mail delivery first.

If emails are being sent but the PDF button is missing, make sure %PDF_BUTTON% is placed in the correct template and that the email condition is actually triggered by your test attempt.

The Export Hangs or the File Does Not Download

Symptom: after clicking export, the file takes a long time to generate, no link appears, or the download is interrupted. Start by reducing the volume: select one quiz, a short date range, and the minimum set of fields. If that works, expand the settings gradually. On large sites, the issue is often not one setting alone, but the combination of factors: many attempts, many questions, long answers, a weak server, and a wide Single Row layout.

If even the minimal export fails, check for updates to QSM core and the add-on, inspect the WordPress error log, and test for plugin conflicts. Rolling back settings makes sense if the problem appeared immediately after enabling a new field, switching the row type, or applying an update.

Safe Improvements and Practical Adaptation for a Real Site

There is no reason to invent complex customizations for QSM Export Results. Most needs are covered by the add-on settings and QSM itself: the right CSV fields, result variables, email templates, PDF font, date range, and row type. Code is rarely needed. When it is, it should be small, reversible, and grounded in either the documentation or standard WordPress practice.

Temporary Support for .ttf Files

The most appropriate snippet is a temporary permission for uploading .ttf fonts when a PDF in Russian or another language does not render characters correctly and WordPress rejects the font file. That code has already been shown above. Its purpose is not to modify QSM, but to allow the administrator to upload the font through the media library.

After the font is uploaded, disable the snippet and download the PDF again. If the document still renders correctly, there is no reason to leave the upload permission enabled permanently. If the PDF stops seeing the font after the snippet is disabled, check the file URL in Custom Style and verify that the media file is accessible instead of enabling everything at once.

A Working Process for CSV

Instead of writing code, it is often more useful to define a team workflow. Create a simple internal template: who exports the file, which fields they select, what date range they use, where the CSV is stored, who receives a copy, and when the file is deleted or archived. For recurring reports, save the field list in the team's documentation. That reduces the risk that one administrator exports only final scores while another exports full personal data and IP addresses.

If the CSV is regularly imported into an Excel or Google Sheets template, check the column names and order against a test export after every QSM update. Do not tie important formulas only to a fixed column number if the export structure can change when new fields are enabled.

Post-Update Check

After updating QSM core or Export Results, run a small validation scenario: one test attempt, a short CSV, a PDF on the results page, a PDF in email, and opening the file in Excel or Google Sheets. It only takes a few minutes, but it catches most issues before users start taking the quiz at scale.

When QSM Export Results Is the Right Choice

Use QSM Export Results when you need a clear and controlled way to get QSM results out of WordPress: CSV for the administrator, PDF for the participant, field selection, date filtering, and flexibility across one quiz, multiple quizzes, or all active quizzes. The plugin works especially well where results are not just shown on screen, but become working material for an instructor, HR team, researcher, or event organizer.

Before you download the latest version of QSM Export Results, check three things: the site already has a published QSM quiz with saved results, you know which CSV fields are actually needed, and you are ready to test the PDF button on both the results page and in email. If those conditions are in place, the add-on is usually straightforward to implement without complex development.

If, on the other hand, you need built-in analytics with charts, automatic sync with external services, or a full form system outside QSM, compare alternatives before implementation. The best outcome does not come from exporting everything. It comes from defining the reporting goal up front and configuring the fields to match that goal.

Video for Setting Up QSM Export Results

This video complements the guide: a product walkthrough video. Open it after the basic setup so you can compare the interface and the sequence of steps.